Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:27 pm

Here is a cut and paste of recent thread on Lonely Planet Thorn Tree that mentions accomodations people like in Bukit Lawang.
All posts on Lonely Planet eventually disappear so here is a discussion that will be now be permanent on this site.

lallyp
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
3:30am
Places to stay in bukit lawang & lake tobo

hello there

I was wondering if anyone has recently been to see the orange fellas in Bukit Lawang and if they could recommend somewhere to stay. I've heard that 'Jungle Inn' is good but quite a way out and one post mentioned 'Noras' was really nice but they didn't stay there.

Is there anywhere to stay on the river where you can actually watch the orangutans on the other bank? Someone in the guesthouse im currently staying in told me this was possible but I can't find any info on it

Also any advice on places to stay on Lake Tobo would be great. From reading thorn tree it seems that lots of place are shutting down.

Thanks for your help
lally xx

gezme
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
5:47am
1.

hey there

can't help u wth river side accomm but i stayed at Nora's last year and it was great.

[email protected]
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
7:27am
2.

I've met many people that have stayed at Nora's and said it was good. For Lake Toba I can personally recommend Samosir Cottages, which is excellent. Ask for Sandra who work's there. Tell her John Houlihan told you to go there. Or you could stay at Bagus Bay-ask for Binsar who is the manager, once again mention me and you might get a discount. Lake Toba is a wonderful place - I hope you have a good time.

Shiro
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
10:35am
3.

hey, my girlfriend was living in Bukit Lawang for 6+3 month in the last two years. She nows the location very well. I will ask here asap and let you know.

You will hear from me again!

pPamela
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
1:06pm
4.

Hi,
I too, stayed at Nora's last year and actually met Gezme there. Great place, fantastic food cooked by Is, who works there.
I liked staying at Nora's because it is in the middle of the village and looks out over rice fields.
People are very friendly and the verandah is a great place to hang out drinking coconut juice with lime and listening to one of the guides playing the guitar.
And it is one of the guest houses that does not allow any guides who are intent on hassling travellers and just generally being rude and obnoxious.
I had originally stayed at Eco Cottages and was bitten non stop by mosquitoes whereas at Nora's I did not notice any mosquitoes.
Please note there are wooden bars on the windows now, so you can leave the window open at night. Is, who works at Nora's put the bars up when I suggested it.
A short cheap becak ride gets you down to the river to see Bukit Lawang.
Have a look at my photos below of Bukit Lawang- 80 in total, including Nora's.
Also have photos of guides I met during my 19 day stay whom I believe to be reliable and trustworthy and will do the right thing by you if you wish to do a trek. They are the guys allowed to hang out at Nora's and are a pleasure to be around.
Here is a link to photos of accomodation in Bukit Lawang done by an young Dutch/Indonesian guy who visited there last year.
Bukit Lawang Accomodation
You will notice he has borrowed one or two of MY photos!

Just heard from someone in Bukit Lawang yesterday and they mentioned that BL is getting busier with more travellers visiting now which is very exciting for the locals.
Actually Jungle Inn is the place where you can stay and see the orangutans walking along across the river.
See one I photographed when I ventured up to Jungle Inn one morning. Haven't stayed there, but will be, when I return in August/September this year.

Be warned you will probably be approached in Medan to go to Bukit Lawang and maybe told some tall stories.

Just say you are staying at Nora's ( situated in the village just before the Ruko bus station- ask the driver to drop you off outside Nora's where there is a sign- you just walk down the path, around the corner and there's Nora's- all private and away from the main road) or Jungle Inn or whatever place you choose and do not believe anyone who tells you the places are closed.

If you would like to read more about Bukit Lawang go to this Forum
http://www.bukitlawangfloodappeal.com/forum
I have managed to put up some links to people's experiences of Bukit Lawang that I have found whilst surfing the net.

Lake Toba - I stayed at Anju Cottages in Jan 2003, very nice, very clean, not far from the water's edge. Lots of guests houses on Samosir island, something like 60 guest houses, so you should not have too much trouble finding one, even if a few have closed down.

I, too will be heading back to both places in August/September this year.
Pamela.

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Shiro
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
1:55pm
5.

Hallo, it is me agian. In the meantime I spoke to my girlfriend and the follwing she told me:
Noras is probably the best chance in Bukit. The Jungle Inn is much noisyer and sometime a bit lasy guys are hanging around there. Also a third hostel opend recently, but it belongs to the 'mafia' and is thereby not recommended. The Oeco-Loge is buisness like and also the most expencive spot. Furthermore Surabaya (a former well run place) is rebuild right now, but further information are not available yet. However it is located directly at the river.
If you would like to do a jungle trek (recommend), it is an advantage if you already have a name of a guide. It prevents you to pay more for the tour, since every guide you will meet ask for his provision (rules between guides) even when you do not go with him. Consequently, when you already know the name of one, you can overcome this.
By myself, I recommend Masno's Cafe for a visit. We (my girlfriend & myself) supported this guy in his cafe project and if you say some greeting from us, you will probably have the chance to taste from his delicious cooking (I tried once the pinapple curry: a dream). You will find the project with this guy on www.tausch-kultur.ch (in german right now, but soon also in english available).
Furthermore my girlfriend mentioned, that there are a lot of small but nice things to visit around Bukit Lawang (Marketplace in Bohorok; rice field; picknicking at Sungai-Landat incl. visiting the caves; trip to Tankahan, where you see half-wild elephants, which you can ride and hot springs as well). Just ask for further informations the guides at Noras.
However, if you have any further question, just contact me. May we can give you some further and more detailed information.

Cheers, Shiro


pPamela
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
3:05pm
6.

Hi Shiro,
I would love to have more details of Masno's Cafe. Whereabouts in Bukit Lawang is it? Looking forward to your website being in English soon.
Here is the direct link to Shiro's Website
Pamela

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pPamela
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
3:22pm
7.

Shiro, Just sent you a Private Message. Pamela